There’s a great buzz of woodworking activity in the Belleek Men’s Shed and on West Island in County Fermanagh. But this is no ordinary woodworking – this is the building of traditional Lough Erne Cots.

The Cot was originally a burnt-out log or a hollowed-out tree. It was later concluded that all watercraft referred to as cots had their origins as log boats. These dugout canoes only ceased to be used as transport when the great oaks ran out as the forests were cleared.

They have left their name to their successors, the flat-bottomed Lough Erne Cot with ‘rising ends’ which was used by the people of the river Erne system for about one thousand years. It could be pushed ashore meaning people and animals could walk on and off easily. This was the original landing craft, a simple design still used by armies all over the world. They are known as Lough Erne Cots as they are different from any of the other cots in Ireland.

A Cot ferry from the1800s Photo courtesy Fred Ternan

Lough Erne Landscape Partnership (LELP) was keen to save heritage skills such as boatbuilding and Fred Ternan of Lough Erne Heritage suggested that they support cot building. (Cots are easier to build than clinker-built boats). So, two groups were set up to build four new cots; the West Island Cot Heritage Group on Belle Isle estate on the northern tip of Upper Lough Erne headed up by Andrew Cathcart whose father was a boat builder. There Fred Ternan guides the work, overseen by Liam Boyle who a few years ago was the first man in 50 years to build a Lough Erne Cot, and in Belleek on the River Erne on the Fermanagh-Donegal border where Leo Slevin leads the Belleek Men’s Shed in the construction.

The last working Cot, built in 1958 by Fred Ternan's cousin, that carried cattle, turf and hay on Lough Erne

Both groups are using a Lough Erne Heritage design drawn up by Fred Ternan based on a 1950s sketch by a teacher, Miss Beggan of Wattle Bridge primary school for her family cot. Fred arranged for the two groups to take part, sourced the wood and provided technical advice for Belleek and arranged for Liam Boyle to support the builders on West Island.

The remains of the last Cot which worked on Lower Lough Erne. Owned by Eddy Armstrong for the transport of cattle (it could carry 12 or 14 cows) into the 1980s and possibly 90s

The idea is to recreate the famous Cot Race which took place at Crom on Upper Lough Erne, in 1850s.

In his history of the Lough Erne Cot or coite in Irish, George Morrissey tells a fascinating tale of this craft developed as the mode of transport best suited to carry man, beast, machines, and goods between the shores and islands of Upper and Lower Lough Erne in County Fermanagh of which a map will show has vast amounts of lakes and rivers. The Erne system is the third-largest in Ireland. Morrisey tells that it has been travelled from as far back as the Stone Age, through the times of the O’Reilly‟s of Breifne, the great medieval chieftains O’Neill, O’Donnell and Maguire, the incoming Scots and English of the plantation and the Irish fleeing the Great Famine.

Cots were involved in the building on Upper Lough Erne of the Lady Craigavon and the Lady Brookeborough bridges in 1933 which ironically turned out to spell the end of Ferry Cots. However, large cots were and still are needed. One activity during World War 11 which the Five Ton Cot was used for was smuggling across the border into the Republic of Ireland. Sulphate of ammonia for sugar beet fertilizer was taken across and on the return the cot was loaded with piglets sedated with Guinness to keep them quiet!

Before the roads and rail system the River Erne was the transport highway for all goods travelling the length and breadth of Lough Erne. Ballyshannon at the mouth of the River Erne in Co. Donegal, was the local port, so goods including fish, coal, stone, timber, various building products, etc, had to be transported via Belleek. That, along with the movement of people, goods, and animals over and back to the islands on Upper and Lower Lough Erne, the Cot would have been the vehicle of choice.

The Belleek cot build story began in 2017 when the village was approached by Fred Ternan to see if they would be interested in running a regatta for Lough Erne Cots there as part of a heat, with the winners going on to take part in a final later in the year in Enniskillen. The Belleek regattas in 2018 and 2019 were also heats with the winners going on to the final in Enniskillen. Lough Erne Heritage’s regatta at Crom on Upper Lough Erne in 2016 was the start of its Cot racing events and there were other heat winners throughout Fermanagh. Knockninny, at the southwestern end of Upper Lough Erne hosted a regatta in June 2019 (also a heat with the winners going on to the finals in Enniskillen) which coincided with the 150 years from the last race that took place there. In 1891 at the Knockninny Regatta it was written “20,000 or 30,000 people on occasions of this kind come to see the Boat and Cot racing”.

The original sketch on which Fred based the design of the Cots now being built

Leo Slevin is delighted with the Belleek Men’s Shed progress; “The Lough Erne Landscape Partnership were very impressed with the events and building a traditional Cot boat in Belleek was mentioned. This led to a conversation about setting up a ‘Men’s Shed’ which came to fruition in the Craft Village. The next task was to secure funding to run the Men’s shed. We were successful in obtaining grants from the Policing & Community Safety Partnership Community Cash. With valuable assistance from Fermanagh Trust we also got a grant from Callagheen Wind Farm”. He continued; ”We were now in a position to re-open the conversation with LELP with the intention of building indigenous Lough Erne Cots. Along with another group in West Island (Belle Isle), we secured funding for the necessary materials and tooling for the project through the LELP Community Engagement and Farming Fund funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Fermanagh and Omagh District Council. The aim of our build is to re-develop the Fermanagh Cot”.

Lough Erne Regatta notices from 1883 and 1888

Belleek Men’s Shed started Cot building in late October 2021. They will be used in all future Belleek Regatta beginning in summer 2022. The community will be involved in the story of the Cots by visits to the local schools, taking groups out for trips on the river and attending information events. The National Lottery gave funding for securing the premises and buying tools. This also included the purchase of a Kiln to preserve the skills in the locality of the pottery making that ‘exists in the DNA’ of the people of Belleek.

Leo Slevin (fourth from left) with the cot builders of Belleek Photo: John McVitty

The Cathcart family has been associated with Lough Erne and the surrounding islands for the past three centuries. The present Cathcart family now lives on West Island. Growing up and being reared on the shores of Lough Erne, it was only natural for the Cathcarts to be involved in boat building and commercial fishing, especially as they lived on various islands. One of the activities the family was involved in was when during WW II huge parts of the plantations were cut down for the war effort and they towed the tree rafts to Enniskillen.

Oak or Larch tree was used for boat building. The tree trunks were towed to Enniskillen, and then transported to the sawmills by horse and cart. After being planked the planks were loaded onto a boat and rowed back upstream (no engines then) to the West Island. One of the earliest records of Cot Racing was written in 1842. The Cathcart tradition of building Lough Erne Cots continues today with Eric’s son Andrew Cathcart building a 22-foot cot with the West Island Heritage Group.

Both groups have about 80% finished with the painting to follow and it is hoped that both will be launched at the end of May in Enniskillen.

Elmarie Swanepoel, Lough Erne Landscape Partnership Programme Manager, is pleased with the progress. "We are delighted to be supporting, through funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, this wonderful community-led project. This project provides members of the community the opportunity to learn new skills, work together as a community and ensure that the unique skill of cot building on Lough Erne is kept alive for future generations."

Lough Erne Cot racing Photo: LEH

And Fred Ternan of Lough Erne Heritage says “With all of this going on I am hopeful that other groups around the Lough might get involved. Lough Erne cots are distinct from all the other cost in Ireland. and may have a European heritage. Similar craft from Roman times have been unearthed on the continent and their earliest origins may be from when planks were first able to be sawn. With the publicity gained so far regarding these ancient craft and continued exposure regarding the current cot build and planned launch of the four new cots, the story of Lough Erne Cots will reach much further afield”. He continues; “The local Fermanagh and Omagh District Council recently built one of these cots under my guidance and it might possibly be on the water to accompany the new Lough Erne Cots. Maybe someday we will see a rebuild of one of the largest used in the past which were 55 feet long. There is the potential to have nine or ten Lough Erne Cots of varying sizes on the water on the day of the launch at Enniskillen Castle The launch is being organised by Lough Erne Landscape Partnership with the support and advice of Lough Erne Heritage who is one of the partners within LELP”.

Cot Builder Pat Keown of Belleek Photo: John McVitty

Carrybridge RNLI’s inshore lifeboat Douglas Euan & Kay Richards was launched on Tuesday afternoon (26 October) to assess a fishing boat with three people on board, which had broken down around a mile northeast of Knockninny on Upper Lough Erne.

Once on scene, the lifeboat located the casualty vessel which had blown onto an exposed shoreline on an island amid Force 4-5 southwesterly gusts.

The volunteer helm and crew assessed the vessel and the wellbeing of the persons on board from a close but safe distance, and found they were all well.

It was established that the casualty vessel had suffered engine failure, and due to the strong winds had been blown onto the shoreline of the island.

After a full review of the situation, and due to the large waves landing on the island shoreline, the helm deemed the safest option was to put two volunteer crew from the lifeboat onto the other side of the island which was sheltered from the waves.

The crew then walked the three persons across the island to this safer location to get onboard the lifeboat. They were brought back to the nearest safe marina which was Knockninny public jetty.

The volunteer crew of the lifeboat then went back and refloated the fishing boat from the shoreline and brought it to the safety of Knockninny.

Speaking following the callout, Carrybridge lifeboat operations manager Stephen Scott had advice for all boat users in Northern Ireland and elsewhere.

“Before setting out on your journey, please check the weather forecast for the day ahead, have a means of calling for assistance if you find yourself in trouble and have lifejackets for all onboard,” he said.

“If you see someone in trouble on the water or are in difficulties yourself the number to dial is 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.”

One young Northern Ireland couple have eschewed the heated land-based property ladder and put their savings afloat with a narrowboat, as ArmaghI reports.

Sophie Durand and Josh Boyd, both from Co Armagh and in their early 20s, have now adopted “slow, sustainable and also happier way of living” afloat on the inland waterways at Lough Erne.

Between them they raised the £53,000 (€62,000) to purchase the narrowboat Qisma — Arabic for ‘destiny’ — which has a permanent mooring at a monthly cost of £170 (€200).

And while their compact choice of home might not be to everyone’s taste, they’re now living mortgage-free after spending a fraction of the average deposit.

ArmaghI has more on the story HERE.

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In late August, the Snipe dinghy Ranger, restored by Fred and George Ternan after sixty years lying abandoned on the Crom Estate, County Fermanagh, had her second outing on Upper Lough Erne at Crom.

Ranger was one of two Snipes found by Fred in the boathouse at Crom Castle and was restored over the last year. The other was Teal, and it is known that a third, Valkyria, is stored near Enniskillen.

Heading off in very calm conditions from the Visitor Centre slipway at Crom were Rob and Alice Armstrong from Bangor, later to be joined by Sarah Royle from County Cavan. Sarah confessed she hadn't sailed since she was ten; " Valkyria was owned by my father, Johnny Lucas -Clements, and when I was a young child, I used to sail with him at Crom on Sunday afternoons. That was back in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and we always sailed from the boathouse. I enjoyed sailing at Crom back then. I was very grateful to be asked by Johnny Madden to attend the relaunch of Ranger in early August and then by Fred to sail in Ranger last Sunday. It brought back many happy memories for me."

Ranger approaching Trial Bay on Upper Lough Erne

Both Ranger and Valkyria came from Belfast Lough, where they regularly sailed for years. They formed part of a fleet of Snipes acquired by Major Madden of Clones, who was instrumental in establishing the class in Lough Erne. He introduced Teal about 1953, and his son Johnny Madden has much detail about the Snipe class at his fingertips.

The whole story of Snipe sailing in Northern Ireland can be found here

The fact that Royal St. George Olympic 470 helmsman Ger Owens has won the Ulsters, Leinsters and Skerries Regatta, which are the three GP14 events sailed so far this season, means he is a clear favourite to take the Championship of Ireland when it returns to lower Lough Erne for its 2021 edition next week.

Lough Erne Yacht Club stages the event from Friday 13th – Sun 15th August. 

Half a dozen local boats will be joined by up to 45 visiting boats from all over Ireland for the eight-race championships. 

Despite his current form, Owens, who is sailing with Brendan Brogan (with no less than 10 Irish GP14 titles between them), will not have things all their own way. 2016 Word Champion Shane McCarthy and 2019 Irish Champion along with World Championship runner up Ross Kearney are set to test the Beijing and London Olympian. 

Royal St. George helmsman Ger Owens has already won the Ulster and Leinster Championships

Derek Bothwell from Howth is the national race officer in charge of the event. 

The event also includes the Irish Masters and Junior Championships, which are always hotly contested.

The last time the fleet visited Lough Erne was for the Hot Toddy event in October 2019, and the planned 2020 Championship of Ireland was postponed to 2021 due to COVID.  

​Waterways Ireland has announced the creation of a non-motorised ‘safe play’ zone at Castle Archdale Country Park on Lower Lough Erne in Co Fermanagh.
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Echoing a similar scheme currently in operation at Muckross Bay in Kesh, Enniskillen, the new zone will operate until October and is located between the existing caravan park and Davy’s Island, delineated with floating buoys.
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​In temporarily closing off a section of the navigation to motorised craft, the cross-border body for the inland waterways is exercising its powers under the Lough Erne (Navigation) Bye-laws (Northern Ireland) 1978 as amended by The Lough Erne (Navigation) (Amendment) Bye-laws (Northern Ireland) 1986.
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​The aim of the proposal is to improve safety in the area, which has become increasingly popular with all types of waterway enthusiasts in recent years. It also comes after reports of a rise in personal watercraft infringements into swimming areas, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

Enniskillen RNLI launched to the aid of four people on a speedboat adrift in shallow water in the vicinity of Castle Archdale yesterday (Sunday 13 June).

Following a request from Belfast Coastguard, the volunteer crew launched the station’s inshore lifeboat John and Jean Lewis at 7.35pm to go to the aid of the 16ft speed boat, which had engine difficulties and was adrift in the Castle Archdale area of Lower Lough Erne.

Weather conditions at the time were choppy with a south-westerly wind.

The crew quickly found the drifting boat on the western side of Crevinishaghy Island.

All four adults onboard were found to be safe and well and wearing the correct safety equipment.

The volunteer crew then established a tow between the lifeboat and the vessel and all casualties were brought to Castle Archdale marina safely.

The trial of a man accused of murdering his wife on a boating holiday in Co Fermanagh has heard the company that hired out the boat to the accused had failed to supply enough lifejackets on board, as BBC News reports.

Stephen McKinney of Fintona, Co Tyrone denies the murder of Lu Na McKinney, the 35-year-old mother of two whose body was found near Devenish Island on Lough Erne in April 2017.

It was originally suspected that McKinney slipped from the deck of the boat which was hired from Manor House Marine, a director of which was questioned during the second day of the murder trial at Dungannon Crown Court yesterday, Thursday 29 April.

The director admitted that the correct checks on paperwork for the boat rental had not been completed, and lifejackets were not supplied for the family’s two children.

He also denied that the so-called ‘boat acceptance certificate’ was filled in after the fact of the tragic death for insurance purposes.

BBC News has much more on the story HERE.

Carrickcraft has announced that with the relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions in Northern Ireland, it will start operating for the 2021 cruising season on Lough Erne from Friday 30 April.

The cruising firm’s website features a sample itinerary of the attractive sights and mooring points around Upper and Lower Lough Erne, from Enniskillen to Devenish Island, Belleek and Crom Castle, to name a few.

Home-holidaying families (and their four-legged members, as dogs as welcome, too) can enjoy these inland waterways from any of an extensive fleet of two- to 10-berth cruisers, which can be browsed on the Carrickcraft website.

As the RNLI continues to operate as normal during the Covid-19 pandemic, the charity is still unable to fundraise out in person in the community.

With more people needing the lifeboat crews as they stay home, support from the public is more important than ever — and Carrybridge RNLI in Northern Ireland is one unit that has risen to the challenge by making it easier for people to back their vital work.

The RNLI operates two lifeboat stations for Upper and Lower Lough Erne, at Carrybridge and Enniskillen respectively, and has seen a drop in funds raised locally in 2020 as traditional fundraising activities had to be cancelled.

In many cases, when the lifeboat pager goes off, volunteers will need to abandon homeschooling or work and head to the lifeboat station to answer the call for help.

Stephen Scott, lifeboat operations manager at Carrybridge RNLI, says: “We couldn’t do what we do without the support of the public. The RNLI has experienced a drop in funds locally, but we are rescuing more people than ever before.

“We are facing challenging times and are calling on people to consider making a donation this year to ensure we can continue saving lives on inland waters.

“We have moved our fundraising online in these challenging times and set up a JustGiving page for the lifeboat station where people can donate directly to their local lifeboat station in Carrybridge.”

To support the RNLI at Carrybridge, helping to ensure the charity’s brave volunteers can continue saving lives on Lough Erne, visit their JustGiving page HERE.